Wheel guard



May 13, 1941.

R. R WARE WHEEL GUARD Filed July 11, 1938 INVENTOR. fiberifi were ATTORNEY.

Patented May 13, 1941 WHEEL GUARD Robert R. Ware, Chicago, Ill., assig'nor to Chicago Roller Skate Company,

tion of Illinois Chicago, 111., a corpora- Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,490

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a vehicle structure, and more particularly to a roller skate.

The present invention more specifically comprehends the provision of a roller skate or similar be severely damaged by impact or abrasion of,

hard portions of skates. This is particularly true in the case of floors of the dustless type, which are generally of polished hard wood or the like, and demand roller or wheel structures which are sufllciently resilient so that they will not score damage to the adjacent surface. It frequently happens, however, that a skate will impinge the floor sideways, as for example if the skater falls, so that a mark or scar results. So, also, the wheel or wheel supporting structure may frequently impact or abrade the adjacent wall or molding surfaces.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above difficulties by providing a wheel and wheel supporting structure wherein the relatively hard portions, likely to causedamage to the floor, are protected by means of a resilient member which resides between these portions and the floor at all possible positions of the. skate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a resilient protruding hub member enclosing the central or hub portion of the wheel supporting structure and adapted to resiliently space all adjacent metallic portions from impact with adjacent objects under any normal circumstances of use.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a resilient buffer, as above, enclosing the hub or protruding portion of the axle support of the wheel or the roller, and being mounted thereon through the agency of a member mounted on the hub and having an outwardly extending flange about which the resilient member engages.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein- .Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a roller skate constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the roller and axle of the skate, taken on the line 22 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a dished washer member for supporting the resilient hub cover; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the resilient hub member.

Referring to the figures of the drawing wherein the present invention is disclosed more in detail, Fig. l discloses a roller skate having a body portion l0 upon which is mounted a pair of axles I2, rotatably mounting the wheels [4. The body portion l0 of the skate may comprise any desired structure or design per se, and forms no part of the present invention.

The wheels or rollers M are similar to those formingthe subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 217,855, filed July 7, 1938. More specifically, the wheels or rollers [4 each comprise a resilient tire or tread portion 16, vulcanized or otherwise securely adhered to the generally cylindrical metallic collar l8, which collar, in turn, accommodates centrally a bushing 20 having annular surfaces adapted to provide raceways or bearing surfaces for the ball bearings 22.

The axles l2 of the skate consist of cylindrical bars or shafts threaded adjacent their ends, as at 24, and threadedly engaged by a pair of annular collars 26. The collars 26 have curved annular surfaces 28 providing bearing surfaces or raceways corresponding to the bearing surface on the bushing 20, so that the balls 22 are oppositely engaged, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus each wheel or roller assembly is rotatable about its axle 12.

An annular washer 30 resides adjacent the right-handmost collar 26, as viewed in Fig. 2, and is retained in place against said collar by means of a lock or jam nut 32 threadedly engaging the threaded portion 24 of the axle. It will be evident, therefore, that the nut 32 and the Washer 30 cooperate'with the collar 26 tolock the collar in any adjusted position on the shaft 12. This structure prevents loosening or disadjustment of the elements of the bearing after the collars have been properly arranged with respect to the balls 22.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the washer 30 is dished or concave in crosssectional configuration, having a central annular portion 34, an axially inclined portion 35, and an annular flange portion 38. The flanged portion thus provides a radially projecting annular flange spaced from the relatively rotatable portions of the wheel or roller and adapted to be outwardly, as at 46, and having the thickened portion provided with an annular inwardly facing groove 48. The groove 43 is so proportioned that it fits preferably snugly about the projecting flange 38, and since both of the mating portions are annular, the buffer 40 is retained positively in place at all times.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the wall portions 42 and 44 ofthe resilient member 40 do not snugly engage the end portions of the axle, but on the contrary are spaced therefrom a slight distance. It will be obvious that as a result of this structure the resilient member 40 encloses an air space 50, which will additionally tend to cushion any sudden deformation of the hub member 40. In other words, if the assembly should be impacted against a hard object the air in the space 50 will cooperate to additionally cushion the shock.

It is important to note that the buffer member 40, due to the configuration of the washer 30, is spaced adequately from all relatively rotating parts. At the same time the resilient member protrudes outwardly to such an extent as to protect all other relatively hard or metallic portions of the entire wheel assembly. Thus it is obvious that the metallic sleeve or collar l8 can under no circumstances come into contact withthe floor. The present invention, accordingly, provides a simple, efiicient and inexpensive means for guarding rollers or wheels and normally associated parts against damage to delicate or fragile floors and surroundings.

It will be obvious fromthe'above disclosure that the cap or buffer 40 may be assembled by forcing it about the annular flange 38 until the flange seats in the groove 48. While thecap 40 comprises an integral member, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, nevertheless the assembly may be readily accomplished due to the resilient nature thereof, and will remain secure and positively interengaged against disassembly at all times.

While, for the purpose of illustration, the present invention has been disclosed as being applied to a roller skate, it is equally applicable to many other vehicles or carriers employing wheels or rollers which are used in situations where detrimental contact with adjacent surfaces is desirably prevented.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A roller skate comprising an axle, a wheel rotatably mounted on the axle adjacent one end thereof, a buffer supporting member mounted on said axle and having an outwardly annular projecting flange, and a resilient buffer member of the class of lastics substantially enclosing the end. of said axle and having a substantially continuously annular groove axially inter-engaging about said flange for retaining the members in assembled position.

2. In a wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a supporting axle centrally of said wheel, a

washer member fixedly secured to said axle, said washer member being concave and having its peripheral portions oflset axially towards the end of said axle, and a resilient buffer member .portion of said washer whereby to retain the parts inrassembled relationship.

3. In awheel assembly fora vehicle or the like having an axle assembly adapted to mount a wheel rotatably thereon, an annular washerlike member mounted fixedly on said axle assembly and providing a flange extending annularly about said axle assembly, a resilient impermeable buffer cap of soft rubber or the like material continuously about the end of said axle assembly to completely enclose said end, and having a continuous annularly, inwardly facing groove axially interlocking with the periphery of said flange to prevent axial displacement, said buffer being spaced substantially from the portions of the axle assembly enclosed thereby, whereby to provide a substantial air space interiorly of the buffer for cushioning deformation thereof under impact.

4. In a cap and wheel supporting assembly for a vehicle or the like, an axle shaft, a wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, a dished washer ri'gid with the axle at a point spaced from the extremity of the axle and having a portion of its dished wall disposed axially with respect to the axle and extending toward the said end of the axle and a resilient bufier cap substantially embracing the said end of the axle and having 'a. recessed portion axially inter-engaged with the periphery of said washer to retain'the parts in assembled position.

5. In a wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a supporting axle centrally of said wheel, a washer member fixedly secured to said axle, said washer member being concave and having. its peripheral portions offset axially towards the end of said axle. and a resilient bufier member adjacent the end of said axle and having a recessed portion interengaged with said peripheral portion of said washer whereby to retain the parts in assembled relationship, said recessed portion comprising an internal annular groove axially inter-enga'geable with the washer periphery by elastic deformation of the buifer.

6. In a wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a supporting axle centrally of said wheel and extending axially therethrough, a washer member having its central portion fixedly secured to said axle at a point disposed axially inwardlywith respect to the side of the wheel, said washer member being concave and having its peripheral portions offset axially ttwards the end of said axle, and a resilient buffer member adjacent the end of said axle and having a recessed portion interengaged with said peripheral portion of said washer whereby to retain the parts in assembled relationship.

7. A rubber buffer cap for a roller skate hub comprising a continuous, impermeable cupshaped member of elastic material having a generally cylindrical side wall and a transverse 0105- ing end wall at one axial extremity, a permanent, inwardly facing recess formed adjacent the axially oppositely disposed marginal periphery of the cap member, being defined by axially separated side walls adapted to axially interengage with a retaining flange.

8. In a wheel assembly for a vehicle or the like having an axle assembly adapted to mount a wheel rotatably thereon, a. flanged member disposed circumterentially upon the axle assembly secured thereto and providing a flange projectin: outwardly from the axle assembly, a resilient cap member formed of material from the 5 class of lastics extending continuously about the extremity oi said axle assembly to completely enclose said extremity, said cap inter-engaging with 

